Clinton offers plethora of artistic pursuits

JOHN HAEGER @ONEIDAPHOTO ON TWITTER/ONEIDA DAILY DISPATCH
The Kirkland Art Center on Friday, July 26, 2013 in Clinton.

CLINTON >> The Village of Clinton is alive with color and art. From the farmers market to the Kirkland Arts Center and even Hamilton College, some form of artistic expression can be seen throughout the village.

The KAC is in the midst of its annual Art Rocks!, a village-wide event in which more than 30 hand-crafted rocking chairs are placed at businesses throughout the village. The chairs are hand-painted by local artists. Bidding is open through Aug. 27, when a live auction will take place on the Village Green.

The KAC is running an artists' showcase through Aug. 30. The showcase features 40 pieces by 40 different artists.

Hamilton College is another large contributor to the arts scene in Clinton. The college features its own art museum, which is always running exhibitions and featuring collections. Two of the ongoing exhibitions right now are the Art and Artifacts collection and the Hidden Meaning of Objects collection.

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The museum is named after Ruth and Elmer Wellin, parents of 1950 graduate Keith Wellin. The museum was completed in October of 2012, with a planned studio and theatre expansion set to finish in October 2014.

For out-of-town travelers interested in the arts, a night's stay at the Artful Lodger might be an option. Located right on Main Street, the Artful Lodger has five theme rooms for guests to stay in. All themes are centered around some part of Clinton's history. For example, the largest room, the Kirkland Room, is named after founder of Hamilton College Samuel Kirkland.

The Artful Lodger also boasts an in-house art gallery and gift shop. The gallery changes every three months to feature a new artist.

The Village of Clinton itself gets in on celebrating the arts. It features a live band on the Village Green every Tuesday at 7 p.m. This week will be Fritz's Polka Band.

There is one big event at the end of summer that celebrates everything Clinton has to offer. The Art and Music festival, scheduled for Aug. 24, celebrates all things artistic. There are more than 20 bands lined up and many vendors, even a tent for children to express their creativity. The event starts at 10 a.m.